I know I don’t sound like an omega right now, and I think that’s why this guy is staring at me the way he is. It throws people off. It surprises them when I get shitty and short, demanding and cutthroat. I’m not some weak, clingy, defenseless thing he might be used to seeing, and he doesn’t even know the half of what I’m capable of so I’m sure this is weird for him. Especially if he’s used to the omegas here. The ones upstairs play on their designation to earn tips while the ones down here are more than likely scared out of their minds and compliant. I wasn’t raised that way, and my upbringing is a hard thing to shake.
The only time I give merit to my designation is behind closed doors when I’m needy and slicking for my mates, or having a fucking panic attack in a bathroom at a strip club. Otherwise, I’m not someone to be underestimated or fucked with.
“He figured you’d want to talk to him after this.” Tobias pulls his own key card from another pocket and moves toward the door. “He was hoping for that, anyway. We haven’t had anyoneAlexei allowed inside like this, not in the way Styx wants you involved, so he’s chomping at the bit to get the rundown.”
I frown as I follow him back onto the floor. “They have no idea what that room looks like?”
He shakes his head. “Not really. Aspen and I are the only ones allowed inside, and Alexei made us sign NDAs. Ransom had us do something similar. What happens on each floor stays on each floor. A little like Vegas, if it was run by the Irish mob and Russian mafia.” Tobias shrugs to himself with a laugh. “Both organizations are well-oiled machines, and they coexist very well under one roof, but they are as separate as they can make them. Alexei pays the Adders what could almost be comparable to rent, a percentage of his profits in order to keep using the basement. Then there’s a flat rate every month that goes to things like booze and shit, and they have an agreement to lend each other security if there’s a need for any reason but all the security down here, the staff, they’re Alexei’s.”
“Except for you?” Which is really strange. I’ve never heard of something like this before, not even from Boris.
“Yeah, except me and Aspen. And now you.”
“Probably helps that I spent my first few years on this planet in the motherland, huh?”
Tobias chuckles. “Definitely doesn’t hurt. They keep each other in the dark on certain things, only communicating when it has the potential to affect all of them, and I know it’s a point of contention that Alexei and the majority of his staff only speak Russian down here. Which means the audio on the Adder’s cameras means nothing to them. Considering this business was started for their dads, they don’t appreciate the level of vulnerability that comes with it.”
Yeah, I had a feeling that was part of this thing.
Not that I care that much. Putting me on the bar down here meant I’d hear a lot of things I’m sure they’d want to know, but this confirms my position as a spy for the Irish brothers.
Again, I don’t mind, especially since I’m a little more invested in Styx than I planned to be, and maybe I can use my time down here to see if I can find anything that might be helpful to Liv.
Do I want her to be able to get her answers, and revenge? Absolutely, but I’m selfishly motivated as well. If she can get her answers that means closure, and closure means we might be able to have some sort of future that isn’t full of angst and dread.
Hopefully.
“Ah, shit,” Tobias grunts as he looks at his watch. “I need to get upstairs. When we don’t have any auctions, I run the escort teams for the dancers.”
I nod as I watch him rush through the tables, the bulky beta moving quickly so he can go play his other role.
This is one hell of an interesting operation.
With a sigh, I look around the floor again, not really sure what I’m supposed to be doing now that I’m on my own. I could probably head to the observation room and get a feel for how things run, maybe wander around the auction ring and see if there’s anything they need to fix in there.
I need to talk to Styx and let him know about all the problems I found with the dorms, but I’m under the impression I need to get some sort of clearance to go all the way up to where the offices are. Liv probably knows what I need to do and even if she doesn’t, she’s upstairs and can find out, I’m sure.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I text my omega as I mindlessly wander toward the bar.
Do you know what I need to do in order to go see Styx in his office?
ROW: Are you okay? What’s wrong? Why do you need to go up there?
ROW: I’m coming down there.
No, Row, I’m fine.
You don’t need to come down here. I’m okay.
ROW: I don’t believe you.
I grin as I shake my head.
Still fussy, and I do love it.
I promise, kitten. I’m totally fine, I just have a few things to discuss with him about my job details.
ROW: Okay…
